Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1887-05-12

NUMBER ~.

the deck-each below freezing poin
and no fire in sight. Soon after dinner
I7P. NJ. in sheer desperation I go te
bed with all the clothing I can fine
"around. beneath. on high. and man
Iage to get few hours oblivion from
i cold.
| will give yoH now, as near as car
remember, the events of each day until
my arrival at this place:
March 31st il kut repetition of yes
terday, as regards weather. The wind
is favorable for our progress, the cold
is intense, and no permanent relief csn
be had. A temporary relief is found in
a visit TO the engines and furnace be-
low. but the fresh air is all the fresher
from the CONTRAST. The water is lit
tie rough and one shows signs of sea
sickness. As it happens to be another
| fellow, it doesn't concern me. With
breakfast at 8, lunch at 2, dinner at Z,
and tea at 10, the day passes. During
one or two sailers, and pilot boat
cruising around 500 miles from shore,
evidently watching and waiting for
some unlueky craft which may need
its assistance. The day closes with a
couple of hours in the ''sneoke-room, !"
where t'pool" is being made up on
the number of miles to be run by noon
of the next day. AS you will not be
able to understand what pool is with
out an explanation, l will try to give
you the idea. First, number of sub
seribers are obtained, at, say, half a
crown each.' Then the lowest probable
number of miles is determined by the
subscribers, the numbers sold at aue-
| tion-the highest and lowest reserved
for the last. The whole amount so
raised to go to the holder of the lucky
number. Should a less number of
| miles be made than the lowest number
selected, the lowest takes the pool, and
ditto in case greater number of miles
be made than the highest number As
this is phase of gambling universal
on ocean steamers it deserves this
passing notice. Sir Richard Musgrave,
an Irish landlord, travelling for his
health--a great many Irish landlords
are travelling for their health just now
bought choice of highest and lowest
numbers, and ch posing the lowest-345
won the money next day, the dis
tance sailed being 334 miles.
The weather is tonight just shade
less uncomfortable than for the past
two days = proba oily because we are
nearing the Gulf Stream.
AprI Ist-The morning opens up
besutifulip, clear and warmer. The
sea gulls that have been with us from
New York are still close In our wake.
These are very interesting birds; some
of them are full nine feet from tip to
tip OF wing, and for hours they fly
with the speed of the ship without any
perceptible movement of their wings.
During the day the cry There she
blows" is heard, and less than quar-
ter of a mile away is seen the back of
huge whale. 1t remains in sight but
moment, and sinks beneath the waves.
In the whole voyage this is the only
inhabitant of the vasty deep that we
catch glimpse of.
No sail is seen to-day. Early the
wind changes, and our sails are furled. |
A bath in salt water and brisk exercise
on deck; swapping yarns with new
made friends, and the usual breakfast, |
lunch, dinner and tea, passes the time
pleasantly away.
Our unhealthy Irish landlord again
buys lowest number-320-in the pool,
and again wins on the day following,
on run of 3l2 miles, taken by s'dead
reckoning" as the day is cloudy.
April 2d-The morning is rainy and
foggy, with d gale blowing right into
the "teethn of the ship. After break
fast an hours exercise, bath, more
exercise, and the usual routine. We
are now just off the great bank of New
foundland. Latitude Al SO, Longitude
81. Al, l011 miles from Sandy Hook, or
a little more than one-third of the dis
lance 10 NSuetDstOWu.
During the afternoon the weather
changes suddenly TO intense cold. 1t
seemed to me to be coldest cold I ever
experienced. About five o'clock large
iceberg is sighted; an hour brings it
alongside, and it is seen to be about
one thousand feet in length. and one
hundred feet out Of water. The full
height would likely be 800 feet, as two |
thirds of it would be under water. An
immense inverted v was shown on
one end, formed of rocks and earth,
showing where it had broken loose
from some ravine or hillside, in the far |
distant and frigid Northland. A thous-
and sea gulls had taken possession of
the berg, and they seemed to be the
sole Inhabitants, as we scanned it |
closely, almost expecting to find polar
bear.
These bergs are a scource of great
danger to vessels. But a year or two
since steamer went head on into one
of them, and only escaped sinking by
reason of her water tight compartments,
the bow being completely crushed.
Sunday morning, April 3d-After a
late breakfast Episcopal services are
held, in the main saloon, or dining
room, by the Rev. Mr.. Dana, passen-
ger from Minneapolis.